Congresswoman Barbara Lee Denounces the Trump Administration’s Public Charge Rule
Washington, D.C. – Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the finalized public charge rule that negatively targets the health and wellbeing of immigrants in the United States by making it nearly impossible for them to receive a green card if DHS considers them likely to use public assistance.
“Denying immigrants visas and green cards because they need help is wrong and xenophobic,” said Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13). “This proposed rule is a clear attempt by the Trump Administration to curb the number of people of color in this country, regardless of legal status.”
The rule limits who can obtain or keep legal immigration status based on the use of publicly-funded programs, and seeks to dissuade families that are eligible for programs like Medicaid from using them. The proposed rule has already led to disenrollment from public health programs. The rule will be applied prospectively and will be put into effect starting October 15, 2019.
“This rule will hurt thousands of immigrant families across the country, including many here in the East Bay, as they try to provide for themselves and keep food on the table,” Rep. Lee continued. “We must defeat this anti-immigrant and un-American public charge, and I look forward to my congressional colleagues standing with me as we do.”
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